


Bound By Fate

by MarshalCommand



Category: Lego Ninjago
Genre: M/M, Soulmate AU, gay fluff, it's mostly wholesome I swear, maybe eventual smut, possible homophobia, possible mentions of cutting, slight angst, slowburn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-05
Updated: 2021-03-16
Packaged: 2021-03-18 05:14:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,586
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29853081
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MarshalCommand/pseuds/MarshalCommand
Summary: In the world of Ninjago, everyone has a soulmate. Anything drawn on someone's arm will also appear on the arm of their soulmate, only catch is, words won't appear, but wounds will.
Relationships: Cole/Jay Walker
Comments: 6
Kudos: 35





	1. Just A Touch

Cole groaned as he hit his back on the ground.

"Ha! Looks like I win again." Kai boasted, smirking down at Cole who only rolled his eyes in response. 

"Only because I let you win." Cole huffed, standing up and stretching. The ninja were all out on the deck of Destiny's Bounty, training and practicing for their next fight with Garmadon. 

"Yeah you sure "let me win" Cole." Kai relied teasingly. Cole looked away from the fire ninja and looked over to where Jay and Zane were still sparring. There was something about the blue lightning ninja that always drew Cole's attention, but he wasn't sure what. He looked away and glanced down at his arms. 

In the world of Ninjago, everyone had a soulmate, and the way they could tell who their soulmate was was by marking their arms. Anything one person drew on their arm would appear on the arm of their soulmate as well. Cole was a bit uncomfortable with the idea of a soulmate, what if they didn't actually like each other, or he fell for somebody before finding his soulmate. One of the things about the soulmate mark was that words wouldn't appear, so nobody could just write down their name to let the other person know who they are. Even though Cole didn't necessarily always like the idea, he was still curious and often checked to see if his soulmate drew anything. Nothing ever happened. Cole didn't worry too much about it though because he was a ninja and he had more important things to do. 

"Cole, have you seen Lloyd anywhere?" Nya asked, walking over to Cole. "I looked away for one minute and he was gone." Cole bit back a groan at the mention of the little brat they'd been stuck looking after just because he was their Sensei's nephew. 

"Nope haven't seen him." Cole replied. There was just something about Nya that always rubbed him the wrong way. Maybe it was because of how Jay always fawned over her, or maybe it was her know it all attitude. Whatever it was, Cole just didn't like her a lot of the time. 

"Oh I can help you look for him Nya." Jay said, coming over as though he'd been summoned by the sound of her voice. Cole studied Jay silently. He just couldn't figure out what drew him towards Jay. Maybe it was the way Jay's fluffy brown hair made him look so sweet, or maybe it was how Jay was always willing to do anything for a friend. Cole wouldn't have said he had a crush on Jay, but he wouldn't have denied having one either. 

"Oh sure Jay, you can help." Nya said sweetly. Cole wanted to yell at her, she always did this, lead Jay on and whenever he tried to actually make a move, she'd reject him. That's what made Cole not like her. 

"Great!" Jay replied, smiling replied. 

"I shall also help." Zane said, coming over. Soon they were all split up and searching the ship. They were flying, so they all knew Lloyd had to be somewhere on board, but where on the ship remained a mystery. 

Cole was walking around, searching in the bedroom where he heard footsteps. Looking behind him he saw Jay coming over to him and smiled. Jay smiled back at him. 

"Hey Cole, find anything yet?" Jay asked as Cole shook his head. 

"Nothing yet." Cole replied, watching as Jay now followed beside him. He blushed slightly and looked away. 

"Me either." Jay huffed. 

"So, hoping you can impress Nya?" Cole asked, trying to act normal as possible with Jay standing so close to him. 

"Yeah, I am."Jay mumbled, a blush crossing his face. Cole bit back the sting of jealousy. 

"Hoping she's your soulmate?" Cole asked, looking away to scan the room. 

"I do hope she's my soulmate, no I know she's my soulmate." 

"Ever tried using the soulmate mark then?" Cole asked, subconsciously rubbing his own arm. 

"No...I've been too nervous too. I mean, what if it isn't her?..." Jay asked, looking down. Cole felt bad and nudged him gently. 

"I'm sure she is, now let's keep looking for Lloyd okay?" 

"Okay, yeah."


	2. Secret

Eventually the ninja had found Lloyd and Wu punished the boy for hiding from them all. Jay had sought after Nya's praise for helping to find the boy, but he didn't get any. Cole couldn't bear to watch it and went to his room to avoid it all. As Cole sat on his bed, he couldn't help but think about his conversation with Jay and him wanting Nya to be his soulmate. It hurt, maybe more than the idea should that Jay didn't want him. Maybe Cole just needed to move on from whatever these feelings he had where. He didn't know really if it was a crush or what, but Jay seemed so in love with Nya it was clear they belonged together. 

Perhaps that's what drew Cole to grabbing a marker and drawing a small drawing on the inside of his arm, nothing much, just a small drawing of a simple flower. Cole didn't really expect that he'd suddenly find his soulmate because he drew this, but it was maybe worth a shot just going out in the city and seeing. He needed to move on and this was probably his only way. He got up and left the Bounty without anything more than a 'see you guys later' to any of the others he passed before going out into the city. 

**

Jay had been sitting upset in the main room, attempting to beat his high score on a videogame in an attempt to get his latest rejection off his mind. He felt a slight tingling sensation on his arm and looked down, watching fascinated as a small drawing appeared on the inside of his arm. His heart pounded in his chest. His soulmate had finally drawn a mark in an attempt to find him. Jay quickly looked around the room, nobody else was around. He got up and went outside to look for Nya, he just had to know. He saw Cole leaving the ship but didn't pay him much attention. He ran all over the ship, searching until he found her. 

Nya was in the kitchen and Jay walked over, trying to get a good look at the inside of her arms to see if she had a mark to match his own. He was certain the entire city could hear how loud his heart was beating. 

"Oh, hey Jay." Nya greeted when she spotted him. Jay smiled nervously. 

"Hey Nya." Jay replied, acting like he was going to the fridge to get something. As he did so he watched her and noticed that she didn't have any mark on the inside of her arm. His heart dropped and he left the kitchen feeling heartbroken. Of course she wasn't his soulmate. He felt tears threatening to spill as he went off to his room to just be alone. 

**

Cole had no luck finding his soulmate. He'd walked all over Ninjago, and granted, yes he did make the mark pretty small and in a hard to see spot, but still, he'd managed to see enough people to know none of them were his. A part of him was disappointed, but he also knew he wasn't going to find his soulmate so he'd expected this. He considered taking a shower as he got back to the ship, but chose to go to the kitchen first to grab something to eat. As he walked in, he noticed Jay was in the kitchen as well. 

"Hey Jay." Cole greeted. 

"Hi Cole." Jay replied, sounding upset. Cole noticed his eyes were red and he had tear stains on his cheeks. He felt a protective surge inside himself, wanting to scream at whoever made Jay cry, but he already knew who the cause of his tears was. 

"You okay Jay?" Cole asked softly, and Jay simply nodded in response, reaching out to grab something from one of the cabinets. 

That's when Cole noticed it, the small drawing of a flower in the exact same place as it was on his own arm. His heart seemed to stop in his chest as the world felt like it was spinning. Jay was his soulmate, and he was completely in love with somebody else. Cole turned and quickly left the kitchen, his mind racing. He debated on if he should tell Jay, but he knew it would only hurt him to know that Nya wasn't his soulmate. Cole didn't even know if Jay liked men, I mean sure, the universe or whatever chose them to be together, but, what if Jay rejected the idea of being with Cole, saw him as nothing but a friend. 

Cole made his decision, he wouldn't tell Jay about them being soulmates, at least, not yet. Somehow though, the thought of Jay being his soulmate was comforting and it just felt right. Now all Cole could do was hope that Jay would feel the same when he eventually found out.


	3. What I can't tell you

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Slight mention of cutting

Cole sighed as he watched Zane in the kitchen. It had been two weeks since he'd stood in this very same spot and found out Jay was his soulmate. Two weeks of knowing and not being able to tell him because it was sure to break his heart. 

"You seem distracted Cole." Zant commented, glancing over at his fellow ninja. Cole looked at the Nindroid and sighed. 

"Yeah, sorry, just stuff on my mind." 

"Care to talk about it?" Zane asked politely. Cole bit his lip, he didn't want to tell anyone else that Jay was his soulmate before Jay himself knew, but advice on what to do would be nice. 

"I uh..found my soulmate." Cole said eventually and Zane turned to fully look at him. 

"That is wonderful news. Who is it?" Zane asked as Cole shook his head. 

"I haven't told them yet and I don't want anyone else to know until they do." 

"I see. Why have you not told them yet then?" 

"They pretty much love somebody else and it would break their heart to know that their soulmate is just me." 

"Cole, do not feel down about yourself. You are the ninja of earth, anyone would be lucky to have you and your soulmate will know that. You should tell them and let them choose for themself what they want." Zane said and Cole nodded. It was good advice, but now he just needed to figure out a way to tell Jay. He couldn't exactly just walk up to him and say 'Hey I'm your soulmate. Oh and by the way dinner is done.' Cole sighed and stood up, he'd just have to figure out a way to tell him. He walked around for a little while, looking for Jay when finally he found him. 

"Come on Nya please. Just one date." Jay pleaded as Cole peered around the corner to see what was happening. 

"Jay no! I don't want to go on a date with you. Not now, not ever." Nya replied. Cole grit his teeth together. She didn't deserve Jay's affection at all, and yet Jay always showered her with it. How he wished Jay would want him like that. 

"Nya please." Jay begged. 

"No Jay." Nya practically hissed before walking away. Jay turned and ran off before Cole could even take a step. Cole's heart broke for Jay. He didn't deserve to be treated like that yet Nya always treated him like garbage whenever Jay tried to ask her out. What was the harm of one date? Not that Cole wanted them to go on a date, but still, it wouldn't have killed her to agree to a single date. 

Cole sighed and walked off to his room to try and think of a plan for telling Jay he was his soulmate. As he walked he felt a weird stinging, tingling sensation in his arm. He looked down at it and watched in mild horror as a single cut appeared. His mind froze as his heart raced and next thing he knew was his feet had carried him to Jay's door and he pushed his way inside. Jay was sitting on the floor, looking startled at Cole suddenly barging in. 

"Cole what-" Jay was cut off as Cole quickly knelt beside him and pulled him close.

"Oh God Jay please don't cut yourself." Cole said quickly as Jay froze.

"How did you know?" Jay asked, his voice a whisper. Cole slowly held out his arm, showing Jay the cut that matched the one Jay had marked onto himself.


	4. Soulmates

Jay's eyes widened as he stared at Cole's arm. Cole couldn't read the expression on Jay's face and could only hope that Jay wasn't repulsed by the idea of being soulmates with him. 

"How long have you known?" Jay asked, his voice an unreadable whisper. 

"Two weeks." Cole answered honestly, keeping his tone gentle. 

"That flower. You drew it." Jay stated. Cole nodded. 

"I saw it on your arm and I didn't tell you because I thought you'd be disappointed." Cole replied and Jay finally looked away from his arm to meet Cole's gaze. 

"Why would I be disappointed?" 

"Because you wanted Nya and I'm me. I'm not what you want and that's fine, but oh God Jay please don't hurt yourself. I don't care that it hurts me too, I just don't want you to be in pain. And if you want to be with Nya that's fine." Cole rambled. He knew he was rambling but he couldn't stop the flow of words that tumbled out of his mouth. Jay was silent for far longer than Cole would have liked before he finally spoke up. 

"I don't know how I feel." Jay said quietly as he looked down. "I thought I loved Nya, but now you're my soulmate and we have to be together." 

"We don't have to be anything Jay. You decide what you want." Cole replied calmly. 

"I don't know what I want." Jay replied, tears forming in his eyes. 

"Then will you let me try something?" Cole asked slowly and Jay studied him for a moment before nodding. Jay trusted Cole and knew he wouldn't do anything Jay wouldn't like. Cole slowly moved closer to Jay, leaving him every opportunity to move away if he wanted before he slowly and gently placed his lips onto Jay's. Jay froze as he tried to process what was happening. He'd pictured what it would feel like to kiss Nya before, but never to kiss Cole. Yet, this somehow felt, right, like his lips were supposed to be pressed against Cole's. Jay soon found himself kissing him back as he pressed closer to the Earth Ninja. They stayed like that for a few moment more before Cole slowly pulled away and looked at Jay, whose face had blushed dark red. 

"I liked that." Jay whispered softly as Cole smiled.

"How about one date then. After that you can decide if you want to try being with me." Cole offered and to his relief Jay nodded. 

"Okay." Jay agreed. 

"Good, now let's bandage up your arm okay?" Cole said, standing up and offering a hand to Jay. Jay nodded and took his hand, letting Cole pull him up to his feet and take him to the bathroom to bandage the wound on their arms.


End file.
